Big Smoke | Lancer & Lace | Arianna | Showdown
Hair So Long, Eyes So Brown | Waiting For A Band In Moonlight Down In Orangeville
Iron Mask | Across The Long Waters | Benmiller | Ol’ Crazy Half Moon Wheel
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Big Smoke

Music and lyrics by Jef White

It’s coming down out of the sky, little darlin’.
It’s rising up outta’ the sea.
It’s coming in under the door little darlin’.
Now, someone’s been lying to me.
I can’t breathe it!
I can’t drink it!
I can’t swallow it down.
Well they told me it was miles away little darlin’
now it’s smack in the center of town.
I find big smoke.
It’s all big smoke.

Well they said it was a matter of time pretty baby,
they’d have it all under control.
And now we’re on a runaway train pretty baby
with one last mile to roll.
Don’t mistake it.
You know they can’t brake it.
You know they’ll never turn it around.
They’re gonna’ take it right into the wall pretty baby
and it’s smack in the center of town,
You’ll see big smoke.
It’s all big smoke.

We’ve got screens from the sun
And the world gets hotter.
Masks for the air
and filters for water.
Do you think it might stop if we fall on our knees?
Do you think happy endings might fall out of trees?

While the moon’s been turning to blood little darlin’
I’ve been running with the hunters and hounds.
I’ve been hot on the trail of the man little darlin’
Who could turn this engine around.
I’m gonna’ find him.
I’m right behind him.
But every road I go down
takes me back to the very same place little darlin’
and it’s smack in the center of town.
I find big smoke.
It’s all big smoke.
Big smoke. Big smoke. Big smoke.




Jef White

Lancer & Lace (Somewhere In the Crowd)

Music and lyrics by Jef White

Down on Lemon Street
spangles and stripes in Texas breezes.
Move up Turtle Creek.
The banners are flying high.
Lancer and Lace in wide open spaces;
head in the clouds.
Somewhere in the crowd
Zapruder is checking film and focus.
A picture is worth a thousand spoken words.

Two more miles ahead
the Trinity River’s winding through.
A warm wind dances by
and plays in the Governor’s hair.
Motorcade on Main,
assassin in the train yard.
Twelve twenty- five.
A stray dog runs by.
A shadow behind a warehouse window.
At Houston and Elm the camera’s set to roll.

Oh, you can’t say Dallas don’t love you now.
Oh, you can’t say Dallas don’t love you now.

Somewhere in the crowd
a man opens up his parasol
as sunlight floods the sky
and washes a red brick wall.
Backseat of a Lincoln,
Jacqueline in pink and John in control.
Approaching the knoll.
A flash at the stockade,
white smoke rising.
A scatter of pigeons caught a policeman’s eye.

Arianna

Music and lyrics by Jef White

Arianna fly so high.
Take me with you where you go.
Aim your arrows for the heart of the sun
just to see how close you come.
If you miss you’ll only fall among the stars.

Arianna sailing by
on the warm winds of your dreams.
Set your sail for the brightest star that shines.
You can leave the world behind.
In the morning you’ll come sailing home to me.

Showdown ( from Tales of Johnny Booth )

Music and lyrics by Jef White

Call the children! Lock the doors!
A showdown at McGrady’s Store.
It looks as though the Balin boys
are set to make a little noise!

McGrady called him Sheriff John.
Said he’s up from Oregon.
That silver star’s as good as sold.
The Balin bunch have got him cold.

And I can see them from my hiding place.
They take the final pace.
They’re standin’ face to face.

A sudden silence fills the air.
A final moment disappears.
A flash of hands, the roar of fire.
The smell of smoke and burning iron.

He steps away and stands alone.
Four men lie as still as stone.
He wipes his badge, the job is done.
He’s riding back to Oregon.

And the townsfolk see the Wolf has died.
They whisper in surprise.
They hide the children’s eyes.

Hair So Long, Eyes So Brown

Music & lyrics by Jef White

Angel come waltz me around
in your emerald crown.
Hair so long, eyes so brown.
Waltz me around.

Angel come walking with me.
We’ll talk to the trees.
Ah, they’re whispering your name.
They all know your name.

I saw you get caught in your song
and then you were gone.
Eyes so brown, hair so long.
So long!

Heaven stop twisting the blade!
Your point has been made.
Now I’m down on my knees.
I’m down on my knees.

But angel come waltz me around
in your emerald crown.
Hair so long , eyes so brown.
Waltz me around.
Waltz me around.

Waiting For A Band In Moonlight Down In Orangeville

Music and lyrics by Jef White

Elements of purple sky and pearl white moon
sitting on a cornfield cushion, midnight June.
I remember someone said “ They’ll be here soon.”
Waiting for a band in moonlight down in Orangeville.

Elements of Greitch guitar and Hofner bass
carving up the universe to make more space.
I remember someone slapping someone’s face
waiting for a band in moonlight down in Orangeville.

Thundermug and Chilliwack and Sexy Sadie.
( can’t say she was such a lady )
Tattoo and the trucker tried to stir up trouble.
They got double.
Good old boys with the brown jug cider
pissing in the wind with the Paradice Riders.
I should have stayed a little bit but I’m an early riser.

Just another magic moment moving on.
Something in the cosmos touched us, then was gone.
Just another starry night before the dawn.
Waiting for a band in moonlight down in Orangeville.
Down in Orangeville.
Down in Orangeville

Iron Mask

Music and lyrics by Jef White

I spend all my time not telling you
the things that I want most for you to hear.
But I’ve been tangled up in apron strings
and threatened by the colours in my hair.

So I just watch your eyes for hours on end
pretending not to know you’re even there.
And I will love you from my secret place
pretending that I never even cared.

I’d rather watch you through this iron mask
than to never stand in space with you again
though you be laughing with your golden man
and telling someone we’re the best of friends.

Now I have stood in darkness,
in thunder and in rain.
Just waiting for the lightning
to strike this place again.

I may have lost the earth but I still own the sky
and sometimes I see a flash between the clouds.
And so I send my hopes into the great unknown-
but I know that is then and this is now.

I’d rather watch you through this iron mask
than to never stand in space with you again
though you be laughing with some golden man
and telling someone we’re the best of friends.

I’d rather watch you through this iron mask
than to never stand in space with you again
though you be laughing with your golden man
and telling someone we’re the best of friends.
Though you be laughing with your golden man
and telling someone we’re the best of friends.

Across The Long Waters

Music and lyrics by Jef White

Today do I call
to the spirits who’ve sailed
across the long waters
to gather ‘round us.
This day do I call
to the weavers of dreams
to spin me a thin coat of light.

Today do I call
to the Queen of the seas
to swallow her storms,
breathe a warm breath on me.
Today do I call
to the Lord of the skies
to send me an angel for life.

Through the mist she will come
with her harp and a drum.
Sing a song through the night
that we both can follow.

Through the valleys of time
I am yours – you are mine.
Across the long waters
we’ll sail together.
This day do I call
to the Lord of the skies
to lend me an angel for life.

Benmiller

Music and lyrics by Jef White

See the gray stone flash against the sun.
Watch the river run down Maitland Valley.
See the miller’s daughter in the glen.
She’ll be coming ‘round again.

She goes walking in a garden there.
Lilac in her hair, and red oleander.
I can see her through the virgin pine.
Does she know that I’m in love.

Here I go along the cobbled lane.
Mill wheel roll. I’m coming home again.

See the gray stone flash against the sun.
Watch the river run down Maitland Valley.
See the miller’s daughter in the glen.
She’ll be coming ‘round again.
She’ll be coming ‘round again.
She’ll be coming ‘round again.

Ol’ Crazy Half Moon Wheel

Music and lyrics by Jef White

They tell me loneliness will kill me
long before I die.
They tell me all the things that build me
don’t come close to real.
Some crazy half moon wheel.

This world’s wife bottles all her night life –
shelves it in her mind.
Then tells me ( ‘cause she cannot shelf me )
that she could eat no meals
of crazy half moon wheels.

Some sun up failing eyes will look up
and I’ll be on my way.
Through her eyes I’ll silhouette the sunrise
just kicking up my heels.
Ol’ crazy half moon wheel.
O’l crazy half moon wheel.


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